Inspiring Devotionals"Take Care of Yourself"

Taking Care Of Yourself (1) "Building up yourselves." Jude 1:20

Listen: "A woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head...but when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying 'Why this waste?'...When Jesus was aware of it, He said ...'She has done a good work'" (Mt 26:7-10 NKJV).

Try to learn from Jesus! Allow the oil of service you pour on others to be poured on you, otherwise you'll burn out. This isn't a license for self-indulgence but rather a call to do what needs to be done to restore our depleted energy and exhausted spirit. You'll never reach your highest potential if you don't.

Furthermore, people usually treat you like you treat yourself. So start treating yourself better! It's good to serve others, but too many of us are hiding behind serving others to avoid having to serve ourselves, or because we don't know how.

How can you fulfill the command to "love your neighbor as yourself", if you haven't a clue how to love and take care of yourself? Too many of us become secretly resentful of the endless responsibilities and needs dumped on us each day, while seemingly no-one takes time to give back. Ultimately you have to make deposits where the world you live in seems to make endless withdrawals, or else face insufficient funds. Pretty soon those checks are bouncing everywhere: morally, emotionally, sexually and spiritually. Who'll give back to you if not you? So, the word for you today is: "Allow the oil you pour on others, to be poured on you!"

Taking Care Of Yourself (2) "Building up yourselves." Jude 1:20

There are two kinds of people who won't understand your need to take care of yourself: religious legalists who never stop trying to measure up to certain moral, ethical and religious standards, and serve-a-holics who sacrifice self and family on the altar of endless church activity believing that's the only way to please God. Clearly some of Jesus' disciples felt that way. When a woman poured expensive oil on Jesus they were upset. How come? Had they never read: "He makes me to lie down...leads me beside the still waters ...restores my soul...You anoint my head with oil" (Ps 23:2,3&5 NKJV)? In Bible times oil was used to soothe, massage and refresh, especially after a hard day or a long journey in the hot sun. So God thinks it's okay to take a break? Absolutely! But serve-a-holics who need to be needed keep thinking: "This oil might have been sold and given to the poor." Their belief system is: "Others matter - I don't!"

Understand this: when you take care of others but not yourself, you: (a) become spiritually and emotionally drained; (b) become resentful because your needs go unrecognized and unmet; (c) end up looking for oil in all the wrong places. That's what drove Samson to Delilah's house. She gave him a place to relax and let down his hair, and then exploited it for his destruction. When we look to others to pour the oil on us rather than learning to pour it ourselves, we end up giving a foothold to the enemy. Don't let that happen to you! Start taking better care of yourself spiritually, physically and emotionally!